


Christmas Traditions

by TorsadesMedic



Category: Prodigal Son (TV 2019)
Genre: Brightwell, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Fluff, One Shot, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 09:52:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21967369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TorsadesMedic/pseuds/TorsadesMedic
Summary: Dani shares her Christmas traditions with Malcolm, and shows him how wonderful the holiday can be. Canon-divergent one shot.
Relationships: Malcolm Bright & Dani Powell, Malcolm Bright/Dani Powell
Comments: 8
Kudos: 86





	Christmas Traditions

**_\--------------------------------------_ **

_Stay with me, stay with me_

_Refuge from these broken dreams_

_Wait right here, oh wait with me_

_On silent snow filled streets_

_The bells of New York City calling me to stay._

_“_ Bells of New York City” - Josh Groban

**\--------------------------------------**

New York lights illuminate the endless city blocks, the various hues reflecting off of the freshly fallen snow. Magnificent skyscrapers glow like a metropolitan aurora borealis, giving a luminescent background to the edges of Central Park. Frost clings in white tendrils to the trees, and laughter can be heard as people cross the street with ice skates in hand. Despite the constant magnetic hum of the city, there is something almost magical about the atmosphere tonight, Christmas Eve. A horse-drawn carriage can be seen up ahead, the occupants peeking out from a bundles of warm blankets as the sleigh bells echo down the street. From inside her car, detective Dani Powell smiles to herself at the picturesque scene, taking a moment to appreciate the city she calls home. 

As the traffic light turns green, Dani breaks herself from her reverie and chooses to turn up the volume on Amy Grant’s “Winter Wonderland”. With no one to witness her uncharacteristically gleeful outburst, Dani sings along - she really does love Christmastime. Very few things give her butterfly sensations any more, but the excitement of Christmas still does. At this time tomorrow night, she will be skating in the park with her niece and nephews after a day of food, festivities, and gift-giving - one of the few times a year her brother’s family is able to fly to New York. It will be a pleasant reprieve from the usually dark nature of her job. 

Dani navigates to the police station and parks, running upstairs to grab the book that is sitting in her desk drawer. A gift for the kids, a book she anticipates she will read aloud more than 50 times tomorrow. Swiping her keycard, she enters the squad room and goes to retrieve the book, still humming a few notes of Christmas music to herself. While street patrols will be busy, the usual hustle and bustle of the squad room is eerily quiet tonight. The team had been lucky enough to wrap up their latest case early this morning, allowing them the rarity of hopefully enjoying their holidays at home. Dani smiles as she tucks the little hardcover book into the pocket of her long winter coat. A light catches her eye as she turns to leave, and she is surprised to hear the rustle of paperwork from within the conference room. 

Peering through the slight opening in the door, Dani feels those butterfly sensations come out of nowhere and settle in her chest. Eyebrows furrowed in deep thought, sifting through the papers of their closed case, Malcolm Bright is still hard at work. Dani clears her throat as she pushes the door open, hoping not to startle the contemplative profiler. Malcolm looks up at her with a little confusion, but his expression quickly turns to a smile, Dani’s name barely a whisper as it crosses his lips. 

“What are you still doing here, Bright? We wrapped everything up hours ago,” Dani asks, raising her eyebrows questioningly. 

“Oh,” Malcolm fumbles for whatever excuse Dani can tell he is trying to make up on the fly. “You know, I uh...just wanted to revisit the profile - there were some uh...unusual aspects to it that I found...unusual.” 

Malcolm is fidgeting, tapping his hand on the table anxiously and Dani sees right through him. Crossing her arms over her chest, Dani breathes an “oh” and looks at him with intense interest.

“What was so unusual? I’m always curious to learn something new.” 

Dani stares expectantly at Malcolm, entertained by the way he stares back, bright eyes filled with surprise at her inquiry. She can almost feel his mind working to find an answer for her that sounds believable. The silence drags on for another awkward moment and Dani tries a different tactic. 

“It’s Christmas Eve, Bright - you should be with your family… or home with Sunshine. Something. Not working.” 

Malcolm smiles shyly, ducking his head down to look at his lap for a moment. Dani releases the breath she didn’t realize she was holding while Malcolm had been staring at her with those intense blue eyes of his.

“I will admit,” Malcolm starts, finally looking up at Dani again. “I’m not feeling terribly festive.”

Dani’s heart aches for Malcolm, and she gives him a reassuring smile, not even needing to question his answer. He had been through a lot in the last few weeks and she did not blame him for feeling tired and devoid of holiday spirit. The Paul Lazar case was weighing on him heavily, and his world consisted of unsolved mysterious and unanswered questions. Understanding his reasons still did not soothe the ache Dani felt for him though, feeling the need to spend Christmas Eve pouring over paperwork riddled with homicide and painful memories. 

Before Dani can say anything, Malcolm’s expression changes and he gives her one of his signature smiles - the kind he hides behind when he’s not fine. He waves his hand charismatically to dismiss the topic. 

“The better question is what are _you_ doing here?” 

Dani accepts his topic change, knowing that she will not win her attempt to get him to open up right now. Fishing in her coat pocket she withdraws the small book and holds it on display. “I left this in my desk - it’s a Christmas gift for my niece and nephews.” 

Malcolm seems pleasantly surprised at her admission of family Christmas plans. However Dani suddenly feels guilty for bragging about family plans when Malcolm always seems to have family _problems_. 

“They’re my older brother’s kids… they actually live in California, but I manage to convince them into all spending Christmas in New York with me.” Dani sits down on the edge of the table, confused by her willingness and _desire_ to talk so personally and openly with the man sitting in front of her. 

“We grew up in the Bronx, you know…” she continues and Malcolm nods, looking at her endearingly and obviously listening with every fiber of his being. 

“As soon as he was old enough, Dominick left, ready for a fresh start somewhere else. He just happened to settle down the farthest west he could possibly go. I’m happy for him, though - he found everything he was looking for out there; big house in a safe neighborhood, a beautiful wife, and a handful of kids…” Dani trails off and hides the raw edges of sadness from Malcolm. 

“Anyways,” she breathes and puts a smile on her face. “He and his wife come out for Christmas every year and bring the kids. Every year I buy a cute book for them as a Christmas gift and we all read it aloud. It kind of turned into a tradition.” 

Malcolm is grinning at her so earnestly that Dani can’t help but grin back at him. Before she can think rationally, Dani moves her hand across the desk and puts it gently on top of Malcolm’s. Emotion and unspoken feelings hang in the air like a thick fog between them, and Malcolm’s eyes drift down to Dani’s hand on top of his. He blinks rapidly, caught off guard by her soft touch, but the moment passes as Dani withdraws her hand and stands up from the desk. Malcolm self-analyzes the way the absence of her touch leaves him feeling empty. 

Smoothing her coat to avoid eye contact for a moment, Dani reels in her spiraling feelings. She motions to Malcolm to follow her. “C’mon - let me take you home. I can’t let you spend Christmas Eve combing through paperwork.”

Normally one to make excuses, Malcolm stands without hesitation to follow Dani out of the conference room. He grabs his coat off of the back of the chair and flicks the light off as he trails behind her. When they reach the entryway of the precinct, Dani turns back to Malcolm with a wide grin as she pushes open the door. The sky was alive with a soft snowfall, the large flakes sticking to every surface and coating the city with a white serenity. Malcolm slips his coat on as Dani steps outside, her boots crunching in the freshly fallen snow. She opens her car door and retrieves her duffle bag from the backseat before closing the door and locking the car again. 

“Let’s walk to your place,” she breathes. 

“But it’s snowing…” Malcolm replies, his voice laced with hesitation. 

“Exactly!” Dani exclaims, turning around to face him.

Malcolm takes in the sight of her as she stands peering at him expectantly. Her beautiful face and dark eyes are only accentuated by the military green scarf she is wearing. Her hair is dusted with snowflakes as they fall and catch in the endless curls, and Malcolm is captivated by how stunning she looks amidst the winter scene. 

“Bright?” Dani’s voice interrupts Malcolm’s thoughts and he smiles back at her. 

“Yes, sorry, let’s walk.” 

Malcolm buttons his long coat and flips the collar up for a little added protection from the cool night air that nips at his skin. Dani walks alongside him, a light bounce to her step, blissfully enjoying the holiday magic of snow on Christmas Eve. They walk closely and in silence for a while, the quietness between them heavy with unspoken feelings that neither can seem to put in to words. 

Since their first case together Dani had felt the overwhelming need to protect Malcolm and show him that he was not the crazy and dangerous person so many people implied he was. She could not pinpoint the time when her goal changed to showing him that he was worthy of affection, too. Over the last several weeks she had seen sides of him that he kept hidden from most, and she saw a vulnerability that people had likely taken advantage of in the past. She saw the frayed edges of a kind soul that had weathered every storm the world could muster. The eccentric and wild profiler they had all come to know was just the outer frame - inside, Malcolm Bright was one of the gentlest, most sincere people she had ever put her trust in.

_Trust._

Dani’s own thoughts surprise her as she realizes that truth - _she trusts him_.

Dani steals a glance at Malcolm, only to find that he is looking at her. Caught off guard by his gaze, she smiles coyly and looks back down at the snow. 

“So, what does Malcolm Bright want for Christmas?” Dani asks. 

Malcolm smiles widely, looking up and taking a deep breath of crisp air before replying. In truth, he had enjoyed so very few Christmases, and the holiday had simply become a mark on the calendar that he ignored. After his father was arrested, nothing was ever the same - they would never again be a family celebrating traditions and being _normal_ like everyone else. Sure, he had spent a few Christmases with Gil and Jackie, but there would always be a residual pain reminding him that his own family would never be whole.

“I haven’t really thought about it? Christmas is just… another day on the calendar really,” Malcolm replied. 

Dani suddenly wanted to give Malcolm one thousand of the best Christmases she could create. She could not mend his past, could not fix everything that he had been through, but she could influence what happened next. She could start with _this_ Christmas - their first holiday as friends. 

Dani smiles sweetly at Malcolm for a minute before she digs into the bag she is carrying and produces a large, floppy, green elf hat with a bell on the end of it. Malcolm looks utterly confused, but breaks out into genuine laughter as Dani puts the hat on her head and looks at him proudly. 

“Well I happen to _love_ Christmas,” she says very seriously. Malcolm is still laughing, unable to process this playful and childish side of Dani. 

Dani’s smile is brighter than the moon reflecting off the snow, and Malcolm feels a heat spread through him at the sight of her. His cheeks are hot as a blush creeps up his neck and into his face, and he no longer feels the cold air. Dani takes a step closer to him and is now walking close enough that their shoulders brush against one another. Malcolm can feel the warmth radiating off of her and smell the fruity tones of her perfume. He can hear his own heartbeat pounding in his ears and cannot remember the last time a woman had this effect on him. 

Malcom admires the features of Dani’s face illuminated by the city lights, and the way the shadows accentuate the sharp angles of her cheekbones. Her soft pink lips are still upturned in a smile and Malcolm wonders what she tastes like. He swallows hard to stifle the sudden intrusion of curiosity. He feels his hands start to shake, not from anxiety or fear, but the strong urge to reach out and touch the incredible woman next to him. 

As if she can sense his change in thought, Dani lets her fingers graze softly against Malcolm’s hand as they walk. It is an innocent gesture and an invitation, and Malcolm brushes his hand against hers again in return. In an instant Dani grabs his hand and interlaces their fingers, and Malcolm thinks he knows what heaven is like. Dani’s hand is soft, her grasp warm and comforting, pouring out courage and reassurance. They exchange knowing smiles and continue to walk in silence, no words needed, everything conveyed through that simplest touch.

Still hand in hand, the two arrive at Malcolm’s loft, and Dani follows him upstairs. Inside, they shrug off their winter coats and hang them by the door, a sudden nervousness looming in the atmosphere. Dani is still determined to make Christmas a pleasant experience for the man who is now awkwardly fidgeting with his tie as if unsure what to do next. 

“Can I use your bathroom?” Dani asks, grabbing what looks like a handful of clothing out of her duffle bag. Malcolm nods and watches as Dani unpacks a few more items and then disappears around the corner. 

Malcolm has never felt so out of place in his own living space, but having Dani here so casually settling herself in is disorienting. He removes his tie and unbuttons the top button of his white dress shirt, running a shaky hand through his hair. He cannot place why exactly this situation is putting him so off balance, but he thinks it has something to do with the way his heart skipped beats as Dani walked with her hand in his. He was simply coming unravelled over his feelings for her, and there appeared no way to stop it. 

Malcolm’s adoration of Dani only increases as she tiptoes out of the bathroom in a pair of sweats and form-fitting t-shirt. She had removed the elf hat, leaving a mess of snow-dampened curls that fell in waves around her face. Her cheeks are still rosy from being outside, and Malcolm wonders if her nose would be cold if he were to kiss the tip of it. He shyly tucks a loose strand of hair behind his ear, trying to find words. 

“You uh...you look very cozy,” he chokes out. 

“Thank you! Do you have hot cocoa somewhere in here?” Dani replies, starting to rummage through cabinets. 

_She’s going to stay and drink hot cocoa with me._

“Yes!” He replies enthusiastically, retrieving a tin and handing it to her. “It’s dark chocolate, something fancy from Europe I think…” 

Dani smiles recalling Malcolm’s expensive taste in cheese and expecting nothing less, “Of course it is.” 

Dani makes herself at home, heating water for the cocoa and preparing two mugs. Malcolm goes about his nightly routine, feeding Sunshine and taking his medications. Dani insists he gets comfortable, so he also changes into a pair of sweatpants and a long-sleeved shirt. Dani smiles at Malcolm as he quietly pads around the loft; she enjoys seeing him looking so soft and casual. He is also nervously avoiding settling down, and Dani wonders if this is a first for him - a quiet night in watching movies with a girl on Christmas. 

“Have you seen _It’s a Wonderful Life_? It’s a Christmas classic,” Dani tells him, locating the remote. Malcolm replies that he has not seen it, and Dani gasps over-dramatically, clutching her chest in mock pain. 

“Grab a blanket,” Dani orders sweetly. Despite how nervous he is, Malcolm does everything she says - even if he is unsure of the situation, Dani seems sure of herself, so he trusts her. 

Malcolm drags the blanket off of his bed and follows Dani to the couch. She places the two mugs of hot cocoa on the table then settles back onto the couch, beckoning for Malcolm to join her. She gives him a reassuring smile and coaxes him to scoot closer to her so the blanket will cover them both. The movie starts to play and Malcolm practically misses the first half, distracted by how closely Dani is sitting next to him. He watches slight smiles dance across her face during certain parts of the film that she has obviously seen a handful of times. When she finishes her cocoa, she sets the empty mug down and then snuggles in closer to Malcolm, resting her head against his shoulder and pulling the blanket up to her chin. 

It takes a while, but Dani finally feels Malcolm relax next to her and it warms her from the inside out. She curls up close to him, head on his shoulder, and inhales the spicy smell of his designer cologne. Resting against him she can feel him taking steady breathes, and grins when she feels him stifling quiet giggles at the film. She has seen the movie a hundred times, but never like this - this is a variation of her Christmas traditions that she will not likely soon forget. 

When the movie ends, Malcolm and Dani sit quietly as the credits roll, neither sure of where to go from here, and neither wanting to move. Finally acclimating to Dani’s closeness, Malcolm’s curiosity piques. 

“What book did you get this year? For your book-reading tradition?” 

Dani sits up with a smile and hops up to grab the book from her coat pocket. Malcolm brushes off the sudden chill from the loss of Dani’s body heat, and silently hopes she will come right back to the same spot. She does, tucking her feet under her and scooting back in close to him without hesitation. Malcolm feels his breath catch in his chest again, not yet immune to the intoxicating way Dani feels against his body. 

Dani pulls out a small hardcover book entitled “The Mitten”, and proceeds to read it aloud to Malcolm. His heart flutters at the way she animates her voice to make the story more exciting, pausing for dramatic effect at the end of each page. The story describes how several forest animals find a lost mitten and all crawl inside to keep warm in the snow. 

“Up through the snow, a _badger_ appeared! He eyed the mitten and climbed in.” Dani grins at Malcolm as she turns the page suspensefully. 

“This is highly improbable…” Malcolm begins, but Dani puts a finger softly against his lips to hush him. 

“Yes, but it’s adorable, so shush.”

Malcolm blushes and looks down, unable to contain his smile at her earnestness. Dani finishes the book, grinning to herself at the ending as the boy finds his lost mitten - all stretched out from having had so many animals in it. 

“You think they’ll like it?” She asks. 

“I think they’ll love it.” Malcolm replies. 

“Hey, do you want to join us tomorrow?” Dani asks. “We are going to be going skating in Central Park in the evening… you should come.” 

Malcolm is taken aback by the invitation, but there is nothing he would love more than to spend more time with Dani. He stutters a bit as he accepts, not used to being invited to family outings - let alone with such a perfect woman. Silence looms between them again before Dani speaks up and asks Malcolm to put on another movie. He is elated that their evening is not over yet, not ready to face the emptiness that will remain when Dani leaves. Though, he is still hesitant to believe that she will stay with him. 

Dani hops up again and turns off the remaining lights in the loft, leaving them in the dark. She returns to the couch with a bed pillow and tosses it in the corner, no intention of leaving anytime soon. She lays back, tugging on Malcolm’s arm as she does, gently pulling on him as he resists a little. Dani spoons behind Malcolm, wrapping an arm around his waist and holding him against her on the couch. She removes her hand for a brief moment to brush a stray strand of hair off of Malcolm’s face, before bringing her arm around him again. She feels him nestle against her comfortably, pulling the covers up over them both. Dani instructs him to turn on the Hallmark Christmas movie marathon, which he does. 

Dani lets her fingers rub soothing circles along Malcolm’s chest through the soft fabric of his shirt. She tucks her nose against his shoulder, smelling the faint traces of laundry soap and cologne. Malcolm’s breathing evens out as he stops overthinking the situation and allows himself to be comforted by her presence. She knows from past experience that he is likely apprehensive about falling asleep on the couch unrestrained, but Dani wants nothing more than to give him one peaceful night’s sleep. 

Another movies begins and ends, and Dani can feel her eyes starting to drift closed. Malcolm has not moved or spoken in a long time, and she peers over his shoulder to see if he is still watching the television. His eyes are closed, lips slightly parted, his breathing slow and easy. Dani carefully grabs the TV remote and turns everything off, leaving them in silence. Now she can hear Malcolm breathing, and the steady rise and fall of his chest under her grasp is the most wonderful thing she has ever experienced. Tucking her face back into his shoulder, Dani closes her eyes and falls asleep holding the one person she has ever truly trusted and cared for this deeply. 

At 12 o’clock, the midnight mass church bells chime in the distance, a cheerful ringing full of promise. Awakened by the sound, Dani smiles to herself, surrounded by warmth and contentedness. Malcolm stirs a little in her grasp and Dani leans forward to place a gentle kiss behind his ear. 

“Merry Christmas, Malcolm,” she whispers. 

“Merry Christmas, Dani.”

  
  



End file.
